Chicago Beach Session, {G Family}

 

As I write this blog post, I am tearing. Not because the shoot wasn’t stunningly beautiful, due to my awesomely gorge clients, but because I have eaten 1/4 lb of wasabi peas (so far). But seriously, couldn’t you cry at their beauty? If I wasn’t already crying from the spicy peas, I probably would be, as this has to be one of my most favorite sessions to date.

One of the reasons why I love this session so much is because of it’s candid naturalness. I think it really has a lot to do with the way this family interacted with each other, which led to great posing.

Here are a few of my key tips/rules for posing. None of the below “rules” I’ll list for you needed to be discussed with this family. Because they are HAPPY PEOPLE. Happy people take good pictures 🙂 and generally don’t need to be posed 🙂 (At least thats my opinion…maybe one of you families will probe me wrong…haha).

OK. SO, POSING. When y’all roll in for your session, at least 1 adult in your group will make a weirdo comment about how they don’t know how to pose. Do not fret my pet. I’m a photographer, and I don’t know how to “pose” either. I’m not expecting for you to sink in your gut and stick out your arms a la Kate Moss or that psycho, Naomi Campbell. (Naiomi, if you’re reading this, I say “psycho” with love. But please, for the love of Pete, please stop throwing things at people).

Here’s what I am expecting:

1. Do not ever tell your children or spouse to say “CHEESE!!!!”. This makes me want to _________. (Insert your choice of barf, scream, or run).
2. You have to be willing to touch each other. If you’re mad your husband didn’t iron his shirt well enough, you’ll need to get over it quickly, because I’m gonna ask you to jump on his back and make him spin you around. This will look weird if you’re still mad about the shirt.
3. Be genuine. About 1% of the human population can fake “happy” well. Basically, remember why you’re doing these photos–to capture the love and fun family you have, and remember–they ARE just photos. Life is good, be happy. Right??!
4. Robot Rule. I don’t work for a certain portrait place sounding like “Schmay Shee Fenney’s”. You do not need to sit idly and have me tell you what to do. If your kid has peanut butter (or almond butter, to not discriminate for the p-nut free) on his face, wipe it off. I won’t yell at you, I promise. If your wife’s hair is in her eye, brush it out. You’re not robots, so relax. If you’re running around the beach dunes, and you see your daughter’s shoe untied, go tie it. These are the memories I WANT to capture–because she’s not going to always need you to tie her shoe.

I really tried hard to think of a fifth rule, but I’m getting tired of not having 2 hands to access the wasabi peas.

Lastly, I hope Emily, Nick and baby Norah love their photos. I want them to forever serve as a great memory of their wonderful life together, because they are beautiful together, and I am so blessed to know them. AWWWW.
g8g1g2g7g3g6g5g4

September 4, 2014

Studio Sessions

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